


The Stakeout

by kitlee625



Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 04:49:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6224635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitlee625/pseuds/kitlee625
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>May and Coulson go on a stakeout. Written for the tumblr prompt: accidentally falling asleep together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stakeout

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sarahastro! Thanks for the great prompt.

Coulson notices May yawning in the seat beside him, and he gestures at the thermos of coffee between them. “Want some?”

She shakes her head. “I hate coffee.”

“Oh.” He looks at the full thermos. He had thought he was being such a helpful, prepared partner by bringing it for the two of them to share during their stakeout, but now he feels foolish. “Sorry. I didn’t know. Maybe there’s a place around here that we could get some tea?”

“Don’t worry about it,” she says. “I doubt any place is open at this hour.” She yawns again and sighs. “I’ll take the coffee.” May makes a face at the bitter taste, but drinks it quickly. “At least it’s hot.”

Phil nods and wraps his hands around his own cup of coffee for warmth. With the engine off, the car is chilly, and it is only going to get colder as the night goes on.

“This assignment is pointless,” May complains. “I don’t know why they won’t let us go in there and take down the arms dealer. We already know that he’s guilty.”

Coulson agrees with her, but he still feels the need to defend their superiors. “They want more recon on him. Who he’s meeting with. Where the weapons are going.”

May rolls her eyes. “There are better ways to finding that out than to have us sit in this car all night. I don’t think the people planning these ops actually know what it’s like in the field.”

He takes a sip of coffee. “Maybe someday that’ll be us. Planning ops. Making the big decisions.”

May snorts. “You maybe, but not me. I don’t think I’d ever be happy behind a desk. But you’d be perfect there.”

He smiles. It means a lot to him that she thinks that. “Thanks,” he says.

A comfortable silence settles between them, as they watch the street for any sign of suspicious activity. It is late enough that there is almost no traffic on the street, and Coulson finds himself hoping that something will happen tonight, anything to break up the monotony and seal the case. He really doesn’t want to have to come back another night.

But hours pass, and nothing happens except that they both get more and more tired. Finally, when the coffee is almost gone, and both of them can’t stop yawning, Coulson offers to let May take a nap while he keeps watch.

“Thanks,” she says gratefully. “I just need an hour or so, and then I can relieve you.”

“Take your time,” Coulson says. “I doubt anything’s going to happen before dawn.”

It is peaceful in the car, with nothing but the sound of May’s steady breathing to cut through the silence. When the coffee runs out, Coulson gets chilly, and he digs through his duffle bag until he finds a couple of blankets stuffed in the bottom. He wraps out around himself and tucks the other around May, who stirs but doesn’t wake up.

An hour passes, and then two, but he can’t bear to wake her up. She looks so peaceful, asleep in the car beside him. He rationalizes that there are only a few more hours left before dawn. Surely he can make it until then.

However, the next thing he knows, he is being shaken awake. Sunlight is streaming into the car, and May is staring down at him.

“We both fell asleep,” she says. “How come you didn’t wake me up?”

“You looked so peaceful,” he admits. It sounds stupid in the light of day, but she gives him a small smile.

“That’s sweet Coulson, but you still should’ve woken me up.”

He glances towards the dealer’s apartment. “Do you think we missed something?”

She shakes her head. “No. I woke up just before he left the apartment, and I haven’t seen anyone else come or go.”

Relief washes over him. “That’s good,” he says. “We should get back to headquarters.” He starts the car and drives them back to headquarters so they can file a report on what happened.

Beside him, May groans. “You know, we’ll have to come back again tonight,” she points out.

Coulson sighs. “Yeah. Well, this time we’ll be prepared. Coffee and tea. And more snacks.”

May smiles. “Sounds perfect.”


End file.
